Continuous rotary switch

Hello all,

What's the name for one of those knobs like you get on radio's for volume controls where it keeps turning and there's no stops? And how does it know which direction the knob was turned?

Thanks

gareth

Reply to
garethrichardadams
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Rotary encoders. Many methods, for example two offset optical disks.

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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

Shaft encoder, also maybe gray code, do a wiki search

martin

Reply to
Martin Griffith

Try "rotary encoder".

Specifically a quadrature rotary encoder. They have two outputs that each generate N pulses per revolution (N being determined by the resolution or sensitivity you desire). The two outputs are 90 degrees out of phase, so as the knob is spun, software can determine which direction it is spun by the phase relationship of the signals.

See

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Paul Hovnanian	paul@hovnanian.com
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Procrastinators: The leaders for tomorrow.
Reply to
Paul Hovnanian P.E.

Its a rotary encoder.

You just count phased pulses from it. You can tell the direction from the phase the 2 pulses move.

Reply to
Marra

For a really good picture, saw open a moving-ball mouse (pick one you never liked...). There's two in there, one for each of the (X and Y) axes.

Reply to
whit3rd

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